Finding the Facts - Disciplinary and Harassment Investigation

Definitions

A. Protected Classifications: This Policy prohibits harassment or discrimination because of an individual’s protected classification. “Protected Classification” includes race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identify, gender expression, age (over 40), sexual orientation, or military or veteran status or any other basis protected by law. This Policy prohibits discrimination, harassment or retaliation because: 1) of an individual's protected classification; 2) the perception that an individual has a protected classification; or 3) the individual associates with a person who has or is perceived to have a protected classification. B. Protected Activity: This Policy prohibits discrimination, harassment or retaliation because of an individual’s protected activity. Protected activity includes: making a request for or receiving an accommodation for a disability; making a request for or receiving accommodation for religious beliefs or practices; making or supporting a complaint under this Policy; opposing violations of this Policy; or participating in an investigation pursuant to this Policy. C. Discrimination: This policy prohibits treating individuals differently and adversely because of the individual’s protected classification, actual or perceived; because the individual associates with a person who is member of a protected classification, actual or perceived; or because the individual participates in a protected activity as defined in this Policy.

D. Harassment includes, but is not limited to, the following types of behavior that are taken because of a covered individual’s actual or perceived protected classification.

(1) Speech, such as epithets, derogatory comments or slurs, and propositioning on the basis of a protected classification. This might include inappropriate comments on appearance, dress, physical features, gender identification, or race, ethnic or sexually- oriented stories and jokes. (2) Physical acts, such as assault, impeding or blocking movement, offensive touching, or physical interference with normal work or movement. This includes pinching, grabbing, patting, or making explicit or implied job threats or promises in return for submission to physical acts.

(3) Visual acts, such as derogatory posters, cartoons, emails, pictures, or drawings related to a protected classification.

(4) Sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other acts of a sexual nature, where submission is made a term or condition of employment, where submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions, or where the conduct is intended to or actually does unreasonably interfere with an individual’s

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